Never Broken
by Athena Leigh
Summary: ObiWan takes an unexpected trip and ends up meeting destiny. Not slash.


**Never Broken**

_I certainly hope Anakin fixed the ship like he said he would_, Obi-Wan thought as he boarded the cruiser. Sitting at the helm all the readouts appeared nominal. Obi-Wan nodded approvingly.  
  
The small ship flew off the landing pad and out of Coruscant's atmosphere. Obi-Wan had just engaged the hyperdrive when there was a bright white flash. When he looked again the ship was at a dead stop. He moaned angrily, thinking up a multitude of different punishments for his negligent apprentice.  
  
The beeping of an incoming transmission interrupted his thoughts. He punched it up and on the screen appeared the face of a young man. Obi-Wan studied his face thinking those blue-grey eyes looked very familiar. "Do you require assistance?" The voice confirmed the impossible.  
  
"Master!" Obi-Wan gasped though it could not be.  
  
The other man raised an eyebrow. "Pardon me?"  
  
Obi-Wan glanced at his screens to see where the ship had come from. When last he looked there were no nearby ships. Now the larger ship appeared near him but no planet.  
  
That flash must have been a space-time jump. Anakin was _really_ going to get it this time.  
  
He smiled back at the image on the screen. Even if this had been the man he had known, he would not recognize Obi-Wan without his Padawan braid and not with the beard. _He's even younger than I am_, he thought. "Where am I?" he asked to clear the air.  
  
"You are two days from Coruscant," came the immediate and helpful response. "Are you in need of assistance?" he asked again.  
  
How like his old Master to be so eager to help. "Yes, I believe my ship needs some repairs."  
  
They arranged for Obi-Wan to land in a bay. While he waited for his host to meet him, he changed out of his Jedi robes thinking it would be advisable not to appear in such recognizable attire.  
  
He stepped off the ship as the young man entered the bay and offered his hand. "I am Qui-Gon Jinn."  
  
_I know._ Obi-Wan was still smiling. "Call me Ben," was all he said. "I thank you for your help. I'm not sure what went wrong with my ship."  
  
"I am happy to help. If you aren't in a hurry, would you join me in a meal? Afterward we can get working on your ship."  
  
"No, no hurry." Obi-Wan could not believe this was happening.  
  
While they ate Obi-Wan avoided talking about himself too much but rather enjoyed listening to the very young Qui-Gon talk. It seemed he was alone on the ship and welcomed the company. It was very pleasant and altogether an agreeable change from the hectic missions Obi-Wan had been going on lately. It felt strange to be there, but it did seem truly the only way he could get away from everything, in another time. Outside of his life, maybe he could find a little peace.  
  
When they had finished, Qui-Gon wanted to check the ship's course before returning to the landing bay. Obi-Wan accompanied him.  
  
Everything in the cabin appeared to be as it should, but as Qui-Gon was reaching for a panel Obi-Wan suddenly got a sick feeling. At that moment Qui-Gon cried out as electricity jumped up his arm and he fell shaking to the deck.  
  
"Master!" he cried automatically and ran to him.  
  
Qui-Gon lay completely still, eyes open but sightless. Obi-Wan took the young man in his arms. He was not breathing and had no pulse.  
  
Obi-Wan got up and pulled up a ship schematic. Finding the shortest route to the infirmary, he picked Qui-Gon from the floor and proceeded there.  
  
As a Jedi he was trained for such emergencies and got right to work restarting Qui-Gon's heart and healing the burns. In a little while, Qui-Gon lay on the medbed, his heart beating, breathing, all bodily functions normal again.  
  
Obi-Wan stood beside him monitoring as he lay curled on his side. He lifted Qui-Gon's Padawan braid from where it rested across his cheek. It had been so long since he had had one, but he thought it looked good on the young man before him. He almost laughed at how the neat plait stood out from the rest of his shaggy hair, void of any grey, for all the wrong reasons. Forever defiant, yet even in his youth his face held the nobility Obi-Wan was accustomed to.  
  
As he stood there Obi-Wan remembered his Master once telling him about a solo mission he had gone on as a Padawan learner. The mission itself had been easy, but on his return he had nearly died when an overcharged console had blown up. Just prior to the accident, he had allowed a stranger having trouble with his ship on board. That man saved him, who was only there by chance, looking for his help. Obi-Wan shook his head thinking it incredible that he was that stranger.  
  
Seeing Qui-Gon was stable and would be asleep for some time, he decided it was time to get working on his ship and to figure out if he could reverse the accident and get out of there, as well as repair the damaged panel on his Master's ship.  
  
After finding the parts he needed for Qui-Gon's ship, he realized that when the electrocoil in his vessel had ruptured it had vented onto the dynamagnetic strips, and that, along with a bit of Obi-Wan's Force energy, had knocked the ship into the past. He thought it would not be overly difficult to duplicate the maneuver now that he knew what had happened.  
  
After making the repairs, Obi-Wan realized Qui-Gon would wake soon. He returned to the medical ward and seated himself at the bedside. In just a few minutes Qui-Gon awoke and sat up. "What happened?"  
  
Obi-Wan standing touched his arm. "You were electrocuted, but you're all right now. I have repaired the damage both to you and to the ship."  
  
"Thank you. That was very kind."  
  
"Think nothing of it. You would have done the same." He smiled knowingly. "However, I am afraid I must be going now that my ship is repaired."  
  
Qui-Gon nodded regretfully.  
  
Back in the landing bay, Qui-Gon bid his guest farewell as Obi-Wan climbed in his ship. "I am ever in your debt, Ben."  
  
"You owe me nothing, Qui-Gon my friend. All your debts are paid." He hit the control to close the doors. "It was good to see you again." Qui-Gon looked at him quizzically as the doors shut. "We will meet again. Farewell," Obi-Wan said, then took the pilot's seat.  
  
Signaling he was clear of the ship, he waited for Qui-Gon to disappear, then blasted off home, knowing a part of Qui-Gon was always with him and thankful for the unexpected encounter with his past.


End file.
